Dozens of owners of illegal hydrants are fearlessly selling contaminated water to the inhabitants of water-scarce areas of the metropolis. These private hydrants, located at Manzoor Colony, Pak Colony, Malir, Korangi, Orangi, Shershah and Baldia, are exorbitantly charging high-price to supply subsoil and unhygienic water to the residents of different water-starved localities.
A large number of these hydrants are using boring water to run this illegal business while some of them have illicitly acquired connections from water mains to cater to the needs of the water-famished residents, sources in water board told Business Recorder here on Thursday.
They lamented that the said act of the owners of these illegal hydrants to get water connections from mains could not be done without connivance of the relevant officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB), causing to provide huge financial loss to the cash-starved water board besides threatening the lives of those people.
Although the KW&SB has launched various campaigns against these illegal hydrants, the same did not prove helpful because of the relevant officials' patronisation; they said, adding that these campaigns could not be successful unless the board would take punitive measures against its officials found guilty in this connection.
One of the residents of Manzoor Colony, who did not want to be named, told Business Recorder that the inhabitants of the colony are going through difficult time as hundreds of water-tankers are being filled daily from illegal hydrants placed at residential area of the colony. He said the frequent movement of these water-tankers is not only having bad impact on the infrastructure but also causing accidents, due to reckless driving of tankers' drivers.
"We have approached all relevant authorities to register complaints against these wrongdoers but no action has so far been taken against them," he said. When approached, one of the operators of these illegal hydrants claimed to have legal permit to fill water-tankers. But during surprise visit to his private hydrant, this scribe came to know that the water tankers are being filled by mixing boring and sewerage water.
He said that although the KW&SB's water tanker service is available at Rs 400 per 2000 gallon of water, the persistent bribe-culture in water board has compelled the inhabitants of water-deficient localities to pay Rs 1400 to Rs 2000 to acquire the said quantity of water from private water tankers service to meet their demands.
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